Phnom Penh (FN), Aug. 16 – Cambodian prime minister Hun Sen informed the UN special rapporteur on human rights in Cambodia Vitit Muntarbhorn to make a balanced report about the human rights issues in the kingdom, reflecting the reality.

The UN special rapporteur on human rights in Cambodia Vitit Muntarbhorn paid a courtesy call on the premier held on Tuesday morning (Aug 16) at the Peace Palace, Phnom Penh.

According to the premier’s personal secretary Eang Sophalleth, Vitit Muntarbhorn praised the premier for effective control on COVID19.

On that occasion, Vitit Muntarbhorn also intended to learn more from the premier Hun Sen, in his capacity as the rotating of chair of ASEAN, including (1) Cambodia’s role in promoting human rights; (2) economic situation and progress of human rights in the kingdom in the context of COVID19; (3) civic space, democratic space, and election; (4) priorities for future technical assistance and cooperation between the special rapporteur on human rights and the Royal Government of Cambodia.

Regarding the effective control on COVID19, premier Hun Sen said that the kingdom will further speed up the implementation of social protection policies, in particular helping the poor and vulnerable citizens, providing salary increment for civil servants and armed forces, as well as increasing retirement pension for low-paid retirees.

The premier continued, the COVID19 outbreak has changed the global economy drastically and has affected all sectors in the kingdom. Therefore, the Royal Government decided to introduced urgent, serious and effective measures to support the national economy and social protection such as the allocation of national budgets to help poor and vulnerable citizens who are affected by the pandemic in order to ensure the people’s economy, rights to live, and rights to receive the information. Cambodia’s blossoming approach of COVID19 vaccine distribution has achieved nearly 95 percent of the total population.

In addition, the kingdom also adopted the law on Nation Management in the State of Emergency. The Royal Government also issued sub-decree on administrative measures to prevent the COVID19 outbreak and other serious infectious diseases. All of the laws are designed to protect national security and public order, protect citizens’ lives and well-being as well as the protection of property and environment. However, all ill-intended allegations about the restriction of civic space were a myth.

Regarding freedom of civil society, organizations space and elections, Samdech Hun Sen said that in the norms of international practice, democracy should play a role in conjunction with the rule of law. The practice of democracy without the rule of law will lead to anarchy. In this spirit, Cambodia wants all actors to have responsibility, constructive criticism, and not to create racial hatred, in particular the incitement of own nation. The respect of human rights, democracy and maintaining peace and stability are interdependence and indispensable.

Cambodia has held regular elections since 1993. So far, Cambodia has held six general elections and five communal elections, which were confirmed by national and international observers as transparent, free, fair, in a just manner and without coercions.
=FRESH NEWS